LGAQ Conference 2022 - Motions

A WORD FROM OUR MAYOR

MAYOR ANNE BAKER HAS BEEN ONE OF THE LEADING VOICES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS

More than ever local governments across Queensland are being stretched, forcing us to operate outside of the traditional roads, rates and rubbish.

The people we work with, represent, and talk on behalf of, are counting on us as the grassroots level of government to help them navigate a transformation change and reimagine our communities.

Our role as community leaders has permanently shifted, requiring us to dig beneath the surface, understand complex issues and develop innovative answers.

It’s imperative we help each of our communities as they all have their very own unique set of needs and challenges.

Whether it is the impacts created by mine closures, industry downturns or changing community needs, our goal is to secure a prosperous future for all.

We are counting on your support this October so LGAQ can ensure the State and Federal Governments play their part in improving the social sustainability and the future economies of all Queensland communities.

We are delivering in a changing world and how we plan for our future matters.

ANNE BAKER Isaac Regional Council 0408 277 379 anne.baker@isaac.qld.gov.au

OUR LGAQ MOTIONS SNAPSHOT

WE ARE HOME TO ABOUT 50% OF ALL OPERATING COAL MINES, CONTRIBUTING NEARLY $2 BILLION ANNUALLY OF THE $5.2 BILLION IN RESOURCES ROYALTIES SHARED IN QUEENSLAND

RESOURCING OF STATE REGULATORS OF MAJOR RESOURCE AND RENEWABLE PROJECTS

That the LGAQ calls on the State Government for investment to adequately resource State regulators of major resource and renewable projects to enable both upfront education and assessment processes. We also need understanding of social impacts that are vital for achieving optimum outcomes for industry and communities in the facilitation of projects.

TWO

ONE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CONTEMPORARY FRAMEWORK FOR RESOURCE, RENEWABLES AND CLEAN ENERGY SECTOR

That the LGAQ calls on the State Government to consider a wholesale review of the regulatory frameworks associated with resource, renewable and clean energy projects. There needs to be consistent outcomes delivered relative to the size and impact of the projects. Currently there is a multi-tiered and multi-agency assessment process which lacks integration and can overlook external impacts beyond the scope of their own assessment frameworks.

THREE

REGIONAL UNIVERSITY CENTRES PROGRAM

FUNDING

That the LGAQ calls on the Federal Government to further expand its support for the Regional University Centres Program to strengthen and expand the program to ensure Regional University Centres are able to be established in key areas where there are fundamental needs.

FOUR

NATIONAL HEAVY VEHICLE REGULATOR COST RECOVERY ON OVER DIMENSIONAL PERMITS That the LGAQ calls on the State and Federal Government and their responsible Ministers to ensure the Heavy Vehicle National Law Act 2012 (Qld) and Heavy Vehicle National Law Regulation 2014 is updated, to ensure that fees collected for access permits by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, include a component that is reimbursed to the Local Government Road Manager.

FIVE MOTION BY ISAAC REGIONAL COUNCIL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS REGIONAL COUNCIL

THE NEED FOR A REGIONAL TRANSFORMATION AUTHORITY That the LGAQ calls on the State and Federal governments to establish a Regional Transformation Authority with statutory powers, inclusive of local governments. This is to respond to changing supply and demand for fossil fuel and to develop regional plans and coordinate a sustainable transformation, principally for Queensland’s coal mining regions but also for all local government areas supplying to, or reliant on the economic output of coal mining, as well as heavily coal reliant industrial regions.

RESOURCING OF STATE REGULATORS OF MAJOR RESOURCE AND RENEWABLE PROJECTS

MOTION ONE

That the LGAQ calls on the State Government for investment to adequately resource State Regulators of major resource and renewable projects (including the Office of the Coordinator General, Department of Environment and Science and Department of Resources) to enable both upfront education and assessment processes, and understanding of social impacts vital for achieving optimum outcomes for industry and communities in the facilitation of projects by:

• Delivery of improved education and understanding of current legislation, standards, principles and guidelines administered by state agencies.

• Compliance and monitoring by State Government Agencies on delivery of major resource and renewable project commitments, conditions, and improved engagement with community to satisfy conditioning and project commitment deliverables.

• Improved engagement standards on mining lease permit processes outside of Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) assessment criteria are captured and transparently communicated to communities hosting these projects.

DESIRED OUTCOME

What we seek is:

a. For improved consistency and understanding of the Strong and Sustainable Resource Communities Act (SSRC Act), principles and accepted standards between regulatory agencies;

b. For compliance and monitoring purposes under the SSRC Act, Environmental Protection Act, State Development and Public Works Organisation Act, with a focus on delivery of proponent commitments and broadened engagement with community to gauge satisfaction on conditions, compliance and commitment deliverables.

c. For improved engagement standards with communities on mining lease permit processes outside of EIS assessments, noting that small-scale projects or ancillary development of mine infrastructure carries a range of impacts that are not transparently communicated to community.

The intent of the motion and outcome is to deliver a much-improved focus on education and assessment processes and a more prominent understanding of social impacts vital for achieving optimal outcomes for industry and communities in alignment with the intent of the Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments of the Queensland Resource Industry Development Plan (QRIDP – July 2022).

OF PROJECTS

BACKGROUND

Isaac Regional Council is experienced in the breadth of resources sector assessment and regulatory processes in Queensland.

From a regional lens on a broad spectrum of issues and constraints associated with assessment and regulation of projects in Queensland, our experiences can be best summarised as:

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Difficulties in achieving consistent outcomes across various localised impacts on land use, socio-economic outcomes, natural resources and infrastructure – depending on legislative head of power and assessing agency of the project;

•

quality engagement prior to and during the assessment process by industry and assessing agencies to allow for quality input by local government in the formulation of conditions and baseline acceptable standards;

An absence of regulation and enforcement of off-site impacts such as dust impacts, traffic and infrastructure management and social performance, with Council often carrying the bag of community discontent on matters subject to state approval and regulation;

•

An absence of a regulatory framework to govern end-of-life processes and impacts on local communities;

•

A complete disregard by proponents of their social commitments made during EIS processes prior to commencement of the SSRC Act, with no ability for regulators to enforce;

•

An onus on Council in educating proponents on appropriate standards and responses to road infrastructure, water, waste and social impacts;

•

A lack of regional understanding by assessing authorities when assessing and deciding projects, with assessing officers based in Brisbane;

• There is an immediate need for investment by the State in upfront education on assessment processes and understanding of social impacts, which is vital for achieving optimal outcomes and delivering on the intent of the ESG intents of the QRIDP; and

•

•

An emphasis on expediency, rather than

For the State to directly assist projects under historic legislation and in accordance with historic benchmarks that no longer meet modern-day society’s expectations in social or environmental sustainability, both in their ongoing operations and when projects reach their end of life.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A CONTEMPORARY

RESOURCE, RENEWABLES AND CLEAN ENERGY

MOTION TWO

That the LGAQ calls on the State Government to:

a. Undertake a wholesale review of the regulatory frameworks associated with resource, renewable and clean energy projects with consideration of a centralised agency approach to ensure consistent outcomes relative to size and impact of all projects;

b. Develop and implement contemporary Social Impact Assessment (SIA) type values to underpin the Queensland Resource Industry Development Plan and that those SIA values are applicable for all resource, renewable and clean energy projects with a legislated ability for the State Government to enforce compliance;

c. Work with Local Government to develop a Contemporary Integrated Social Impact Assessment Framework for closure of resource, renewable and clean energy projects with outcomes focussed on sustainable communities; and

d. Lead policy agendas in relation to the resource, renewable and clean energy sectors and that those policy settings inform regional planning and future sector investment.

DESIRED OUTCOME

Council strongly urges the State to consider a wholesale review of the regulatory frameworks associated with resource, renewable and clean energy projects to deliver consistent outcomes relative to the size and impact of the projects, as opposed to the multi-tiered and multi-agency assessment processes which lack integration and can overlook external impacts beyond the scope of their own assessment frameworks.

As part of that review the State Government:

• Works with Local Government to develop a Contemporary Integrated Social Impact Assessment Framework for closure of resource, renewable and clean energy projects with outcomes focussed on sustainable communities.

• Develops a contemporary framework and Social Impact Assessment (SIA) type values to underpin the Queensland Resource Industry Development Plan and that these SIA values are applicable for all resource, renewable and clean energy projects with a legislated ability for the State Government to enforce compliance.

• Leads policy agendas in relation to the resource, renewable and clean energy sectors and that those policy settings inform regional planning and future sector investment, particularly on matters such as support for mine and port infrastructure and decisions on renewable and clean energy sources.

FOR

ENERGY SECTORS

BACKGROUND

The motion and desired outcomes put forward, highlight the challenges experienced on the ground as a resource council and what that means for supporting communities and opportunities presented to ameliorate the challenges and harness the benefits provided by the development and implementation of the Queensland Resource Industry Development Plan (QRIDP).

Not only for industry as it stands now, but for the transforming and new industries and the sustainability of communities supporting industry now and into the future.

This is an opportunity, through the establishment and implementation of the QRIDP, to provide a contemporary framework which applies principles similar to those developed by the State Government for Social Impact Assessment (SIA) guidelines as part of the Strong and Sustainable Resource Communities Act 2017 (SSRC Act), for all resource, renewables, and clean energy sector development in Queensland.

This could be through an extension of the SSRC Act or similar legislation specific to the renewables and clean energy sectors.

Key social sustainability principles need to be entrenched in the planning of all future investment in the resources, renewables

and clean energy sectors, to ensure future sustainability for industry sectors and the communities that support them. Council’s experience can be best summarised as:

• SSRC Act, nor any other legislative framework, capture or address the holistic cumulative impacts of currently operating and new resource, renewable or clean energy projects;

• While regulation underpins the Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) performance in the newly developed QRIDP, experience shows, unless commitments are conditioned, there are no mechanisms for enforcement and no community benefit and no flow on to community sustainability;

• Without the benefit of conditioned compliance on ESG elements, Local Government is left to engage in time, legal resource and rate payer consuming processes to advocate for outcomes that are committed to in pre-SSRC Act EIS documentation, but not enforceable as committed by proponents by the State unless conditioned.

It is through lived experience, and an extensive, costly advocacy commitment that one of our region’s townships is in social and economic decline as a result of the absolute abandonment of ESG principles.

REGIONAL UNIVERSITY

PROGRAM FUNDING

MOTION THREE

That the LGAQ calls on the Federal Government to further expand its support for the Regional University Centres Program to strengthen and expand the program to ensure Regional University Centres are able to be established in key areas where there are fundamental needs.

DESIRED OUTCOME

The desired outcome sought is for the Federal Government to expand the 2022 Regional University Centres Program commitment to cater for rural and remote regions experiencing the need for retaining, developing and attracting a skilled workforce.

There is an immediate need for the funding of reskilling, upskilling and support from the Federal and State Government to ensure that the regions can support the changes impacting their regions for retention and sustainability purposes.

Providing improved access and conditions to complete higher education, vocational and further studies without having to leave their community.

BACKGROUND

Rural, remote and indigenous communities deserve quality opportunities to pursue study opportunities without the need to relocate.

Statistics have regularly shown that regional people are 50 per cent less likely to gain a Bachelor qualification compared to their metropolitan counterparts.

Successful regional development is led by local communities and aligned with regional strengths. Currently students leave regional areas to study, students leave Isaac region to complete studies and don’t return, or they don’t begin studies because they don’t want to leave home.

Each Centre is owned, governed, and driven by its local community through an independent Board of Directors. This

framework provides for place-based learning solutions.

These centres are able to identify and map the current and future skills in their communities as they are governed by local community representatives who are keen to improve the liveability and opportunities for rural, remote and indigenous regions.

The local placed based models ensure that the communities are sustainable and can stop the migration of youth out of their local communities to meet the workforce of the future needs.

Regional University Centres established in areas of need will be critical for the support of current and future industry and current and future communities.

COST RECOVERY ON OVER DIMENSIONAL

That the LGAQ calls on:

a. The State Government and its responsible State Minister to amend the Heavy Vehicle National Law Act 2012 (Qld) and Heavy Vehicle National Law Regulation 2014 to ensure that fees collected for access permits by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator include a component that is reimbursed to the Local Government Road Manager; and

b. The Federal Government and the responsible Commonwealth Minister to ensure the Heavy Vehicle National Law Act 2012 (Qld) and Heavy Vehicle National Law Regulation 2014 is updated to ensure that fees collected for access permits by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator include a component that is reimbursed to the Local Government Road Manager.

DESIRED OUTCOME

The State Government and its responsible Minister updates the applicable law and regulation to ensure that a portion of the fees collected for access permits are passed on to council to provide for partial reimbursement of costs incurred.

Following the update of applicable Law and Regulation, the Board of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to amend the fee schedule to include an additional permit that provides for the partial reimbursement of expected costs incurred by a Local Government Road Manager associated with the assessment and approval of permits issued by the NHVR.

DIMENSIONAL PERMITS

BACKGROUND

Since 16 December 2019 and the return of the delegation applied to mass or dimension permits, there has been an ever-increasing operational impact which Local Governments have had to incur, without any additional revenue to mitigate the additional work. This impact is a result of Council Officers needing to evaluate the impacts associated with individual permits and identify applicable conditions in order to protect the Local Government Road and Transport Infrastructure.

On average a permit would require 10-15 minutes for the Permit Officer to evaluate and apply relevant conditions and 3-5 minutes for the Road Manager to review and approve the permit, this equates to an operational cost of approximately $20.00 per permit. When this is calculated based on the 2021-22 permits

issued within the Isaac Region, the cost to Council is over $109,000.

While it is identified that the function partially serves as a key role for local government in the protection of road and transport assets within its local government areas as well as the service seeking to facilitate economic investment within the region, the key beneficiary for the service is the applicable industry/s within the local government area with only impacts to the community and other road users as a result of the over dimensional vehicle movements.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator already applies a permit fee of $78.00 per permit, however none of this fee is transferred on to the Local Government as the Road Manager.

THE NEED FOR A REGIONAL TRANSFORMATION AUTHORITY

MOTION FIVE

That LGAQ calls on the State and Federal governments to establish a Regional Transformation Authority with statutory powers inclusive of local governments, to:

• Respond to changing supply and demand for fossil fuel.

• Develop regional plans and coordinate a sustainable transformation, principally for Queensland’s coal mining regions, but also for all local government areas supplying to or reliant on the economic output of coal mining, as well as heavily coal reliant industrial regions.

• Ensure all planning supports the ongoing and sustainable diversification of the resources sectors.

DESIRED OUTCOME

A multi-agency, intergovernmental Regional Transformation Authority is created to:

• Manage and coordinate the negative social and economic impacts associated with end of mine life and decarbonisation in coal mining regions;

• Ensure that all stakeholders can meaningfully participate in decision making processes and in the design of new plans and programs to decarbonise the economy;

• Work across all aspects of the energy transition community and economic transformation to enable the flow of information and resources enable effective, timely and regionally appropriate investment and action – including working with relevant groups and agencies to facilitate/implement:

Regional workforce support and planning well in advance of mine closures.

Place based investment in social infrastructure/services to support the future needs of regional communities.

Economic diversification to build on strengths of the regions to attract investment and jobs.

Investment in coal mining regions and catalysing infrastructure development/investment, by providing a vehicle to attract and/channel funds into economic diversification initiatives; Adaptation of legislation and policy as necessary.

Community capacity building to leverage social and economic diversification initiatives.

• Provide feedback to government and industry which is integrated to ensure coordinated post-mining land use planning.

• Timely pre-closure planning applying contemporary social impact assessments across the resource sector.

AUTHORITY

BACKGROUND

Coal mining regions and the local governments that support them have borne the brunt of environmental, social and governance impacts associated with mining projects for decades.

Regional Australia is undergoing a social and economic transformation that will be beyond the capability of local councils to address.

Existing coal heartlands like Central Queensland are in a position to capitalise on the global shift to net zero emissions provided appropriate Federal and State Government planning and investment is received.

Equally, coal mining regions are particularly vulnerable in the decarbonisation process.

Numerous reports have articulated both the social and economic opportunities and risks for regional Australia associated with decarbonisation.

Modelling by Accenture suggests that over 395,000 jobs could be created if Australia can capitalise on changes to the energy sector and become a ‘renewable energy superpower’.

Another report by Deloitte projects that the Queensland economy could grow by 7% if it successfully manages the shift to net zero.

Each of the reports clearly highlight that the risks associated with getting this transformation wrong are equally as

significant as the potential for growth. Transition authorities have played a significant role in helping regions navigate changes in the energy sector in other parts of Australia and globally - this has included coordinating planning efforts to ensure energy security, economic diversification, industry adaptation, environmental regeneration, and positive social outcomes.

Despite governments in other states with significant economic ties to coal having already instigated different forms of transition or change authorities, Queensland currently lacks a clear mechanism or vehicle to coordinate the change across the broader social and economic needs in regional Queensland (with the exception of hydrogen).

Given the Federal Government’s adoption of net zero emissions targets and the reality that Queensland is likely to face disproportionate impacts as a result of decarbonisation, it is critical that there is coordination of resources across government departments and agencies to plan for and implement transformation actions.

Without a responsible authority with a clear mandate and statutory powers to manage change, local councils will be fighting for their community’s very existence under the pressure of negative social, economic, and environmental impacts resulting from end of mine life and global climate change responses.

MOTION BY ISAAC REGIONAL COUNCIL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS REGIONAL COUNCIL

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records@isaac.qld.gov.au https://isaac.qld.gov.au/advocacy

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